The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-08-18

riding along the crest congratula,ing the troops In
telgenee reached me that our line was broken on
my right, and the enemy had crowned the ridge" :"
On the subject Of this supposed repulse Gen.
Bate says:
A well directed and effective fire having been
opened on the advancing line handsomely repulsed
| n. throwing a portion OF IL behind our vacated
trenches and precipitated Others on their second
line. which being out OF range Of small-arms. i
ordered the firing TO and the line fall back
a few PAGES 10 replenish ammunition and give the
artillery an unobstrucied sweep.
One fact from the above is beyond all con-
troversy, aud that is. that the first knowledge
BRAGG had that the ridge had been carried was
Of the lodgment made by Hazen near the Shall
4 low Ford road. There was no movement of
/ our troops that would answer the description
of this so-ealed repulse. except the withdrawal
| ofWagner and of Harker's dem- brigade, before
| described. At that time the musketTy fire
Of Bates Division ceased, and while Bragg,
during its cessation, was riding along the crest
/ OF the ridge congratulatlng his troops on this
4 supposed repulse. HaZen had already gained the
/ crest and Bragg had received notice of the fact.
These were also the first troops known by Gen.
| Bate 10 have gained the crest Gen. Bate says (:
Ia n few moments saw a flag waving at the
point i'm the line of Gen. Anderson's Division be-
yond the depression in the ridge, where section Of
artillery of Dents battery had been firing aud was
then located. 1 thought it Confederate flag, but
upon "A nearer approach and more minute inspec-
tion, soon detected the United States coors. The
line ga my front had recOiled n second time. but
was rallied aud was advancing up the hill in such
| numbers To forbid the dlsplaclng Of any OF my
| Command WAS ordered 10y Gen. Bragg To with
/ draw a portion of my command and dislodge him
/ IL possible; but upon suggesting was without re-
serves aud the danger of Withdrawing when so
hard pressed on the front, which would necessarily
IA gap in my line, he directed me to take such
as could be best spared at once took the command
under Mai. Weaver which had come from the
| bitches aud were aligned across the CTutchfleld
road fit hpinp disengalredl and moved at dOubIe-
quick some 1--we six hundred yards 10 the eleva-
ton on the right and nearly where the enemy had
Twas unable, Notwithstanding the assistance OF
Mai Weaver, 90 get this command farther, and
could only form IL the hill at right angles TO my
line protecting that flank. and seek To dslodge him
by a well-dTecled fire or hold him in check until
the repulsed brigade In Anderson's line could be
rallied and retake theirlost ground Having made
this disposition aud opened fire. left Lieut.. Blanch-
/ ard of my staff TO report the result, and returned
! 10 my own line. which was being dangerously
pressed. II was but few moments until the sec
ond aud third flags were on the ridge near the same
| spot, aud the enemy i'm such numbers as To drive
away the command under Maj. Weaver. This
! command, upon the advance OF the enemy, broke
and retired in disorder. The enemy turned our
| guns upon and opened a fire OF musketry from
our ri ght aud rear. This advantage gained caused
/ my right 10 give back. In seeking TO rally the
right did not the exact time when the flag went
! up at the left Of Gen. Brngg's headquarters.
The enemy formed line OF battle and moved
! down upon right at right angles with that
| flank. Dents battery was turned upon us sweep
ing our lines from right 10 left and, among other
effects produced. destroyed two OF Sloeumbs lin
! bers. Our men on the extreme right gave back in
| some confusion, aud in gallantly seeking TO rally
| them, Col. r. G. Tyler dangerously wounded.
Meanwhile the enemy had gained the summit OF
the ridge our le and subjected US 10 fire from
| that source. lie was rapidly enveloplng the di-
vision aud yet the larger portion OF II was on the
/ front line with the artillery. i then moved the
| command which was in much confusion. TO the
rear ordering the batteries aud that portion still
naming the top Of the ridge 10 retire 10 the
| line on which we were rallying.
Ii will be well to note all that Gen. Bate says
transpired after he saw the first flag in Woods
Division 60 up on his right, aud before he
| learned that Sheridan's flag was up south OF
| Bragg's headquarters. He first moved TO the
| right in person, reconnoitered and discovered
il was Union flag then returned 10 his posi-
| tion, had a short conference with Bragg as Ia
what troops he should take with which 10 dis
| lodge us; then moved south to the Crutehheld
road, took Weaver's battalion, moved il north
FIVE or six hundred yards, formed it at right
angles TO the crest Of the ridge made some eff
forts TO advance it farther, failed caused il "a
open fire. and again returned To his position in
rear of his division. Hazen's troops also
formed at right angles with the crest OF the
ridge, moved south. drove Weaver's battalion
! in confusion, attacked Bates right brigade
in flank and rear (wounding Col. Tyler
| its brigade commander). enfladed his line with
two of the limbers of Slocumb's battery. aud
threw Bates right brigade back in confusion
| It was after all this had been done, and whilC
Bate himself was endeayorng TO rally and re
store order in his right brigade that the aag
weDtglSentA- OF BraggS AfpAdgnar5t:sggss r5t:ggss Redil
not notice the exact time il went up. All thi:
| could not have occupied less than half an hour
Assuming the official reports on both sides e
be substantially correct they establish the fol.
lowing facts:
lst. That Woods Division carried the ridge
4 without orders from its division or corps com.
mander.
2d. That Sheridans Division carried the ridge
in obedience 10 orders from its division and
corps commander.
Sd. That at the time Sheridan issued the
order his right and right center were at the
partial line of rife pits, and his left and left
center were at the rife-pits at the foot Of the
/ ridge.
4th. That when the first Of Woods Division
reached the crest in AndersOn's front Sheridan's
left and left center had not left the Ti1e-pis al
the foot OF the ridge.
9th. That when his left and left center did
leave the ri1e-pits at the foot of the ridge his
right and right center were not beyond the
partial line of ritle-pits.
9th. That the attack Of Hazen's Brigade after
passing the crest, on the right flank and rear oi
Bates Division. was the chief factor in clearing
| Sheridan's front as far south at least as the
| Crutchfeld road.
do not mean by the foregoing TO claim that
Hazen's Brigade was prior 10 Wilich's in gain
ing the crest. They were 50 nearly simultane-
Gus that it may be difficult TO determine the
question Of priority. i am not sufficiently
familiar with all the evidence on that subject
| 10 exDreSs oniuion